Our Mission
Meet Our Team
Our team is committed to protecting your hearing and helping you experience a better quality of life. Meet your audiologists in Point Loma, Coronado, and Rancho Bernardo, CA!
Dr. Dena J. Riso, Au.D.
Doctor of Audiology | Owner | Director of Operations
Dr. Dena, owner of Peninsula Hearing & Balance Center, is a native San Diegan. She has worked with the hearing impaired for over fifteen years and prides herself on continuing the care of the community she calls home. Dena’s experience includes a variety of healthcare settings including private practice, hospitals, clinics, and as an educational and occupational Audiologist. She has the capability to properly assess any individual’s hearing needs no matter their age, budget, lifestyle, or type of hearing loss.
Peninsula Hearing & Balance Center has three convenient locations. The first office opened in the village of Point Loma, with a friendly, knowledgeable, full-time staff. The staff shares a community focus, which is enhanced by Dena, who remains active in the Point Loma Association and Coronado Rotary. With this home-grown, professional expertise, Dena and her staff can accurately develop a healthy hearing plan to improve the quality of life for every patient that walks through the door. Now more than ever is a great time to hear what you’ve been missing.
Besides a beautiful private practice in Point Loma, Dr. Dena opened another location in Coronado in 2014 and then an office in Rancho Bernardo in 2022.
Personally, Dena enjoys spending time with her husband, two daughters, and three dogs. Taking part in all Southern California has to offer, she loves taking her dogs to OB Dog Beach, running, swimming, hiking, and riding bicycles with her family. Dr. Dena Riso, Au.D. is a licensed Doctor of Audiology and certified Hearing Aid Dispenser with the state of California.
Meet the Professional
Dr. Sarah Hernandez
Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Sarah Hernandez is a San Diego native and previously worked at PHC from 2014 to 2017 as an audiology assistant before leaving to receive her doctorate at A.T. Still University in Mesa, Az. During her time away, she gained multiple clinical experiences doing diagnostic balance assessments that she will now be incorporating into our Rancho Bernardo location. When Dr. Hernandez is not in the office, she loves going on outdoor adventures with her husband, Luis, or spending time with her family and friends.
Dr. Jocelyn Yang, Au.D
Doctor of Audiology
Dr. Jocelyn Yang has been improving communication for her patients for over four years. She joined our team in October 2022 as a Doctor of Audiology. She graduated from the University of California, San Diego, with a Bachelor of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience with a two minors in Biology and Chemistry. She then continued her education and graduated from the joint doctorate program between University of California, San Diego, and San Diego State University with her Doctorate in Audiology.
Dr. Yang has worked as a patient care coordinator, front office staff, audiology aid, and audiologist in multiple settings, including university-based clinics, hospitals, ENT clinics, and private practices. She has always had her focus set on giving back to her community by helping and educating others. She started with a major in human biology before realizing she was interested in the brain. After changing her major to neuroscience, she found her love of the auditory system. Now, she continues to pursue her passion in improving human-to-human interactions to this day. She enjoys educating patients about their hearing healthcare and helping them experience better communication.
In her free time, Dr. Yang hikes and camps. She also attends concerts and travels to festivals – while always promoting safe hearing protection. When she’s not out and about, she can be found at home relaxing with her partner, a good book, and her two guinea pigs – Gizmo and Gadget.
Meet the Professional
Ruby Sortillon
Director of Patient Relations | Front Office Lead
Ruby Sortillon is a native San Diegan who married her high school sweetheart and currently lives in beautiful Chula Vista. She is a mom of 2 adult children and Glammy to her adorable grandson Joey Grey. She has worked in the hearing industry since 2007, which is where she met Dr. Dena. She is incredibly knowledgeable in hearing aids, hearing loss counseling, and insurance billing. You can always call our office and be certain that she will help you with anything you may need.
If you happen to stop by and Dr. Riso is busy, Ruby can help you clean, repair, and explain all of your hearing aid needs.
When she’s not managing the Point Loma office, Ruby enjoys spending time with her family and wonderful dog, Buchanas.
How We Give Back to Our Community
As a native San Diegan, Dr. Riso values community and does her best to give back. She provides hearing services for many non-profits in the San Diego area. She is also a part of the ASPCA and donates to the Canine Rescue. She is a proud member of the Peninsula Breakfast Club and the Rotary Club in Coronado.
